Cons:

There's a battle afoot on the gridiron, as two fearsome competitors fight it out in the trenches. No, they're not trying to get precious yards for a first down or a hail mary into the end zone, they're duking it out to get your hard earned money. ESPN NFL 2K5 stepped up to the line first, releasing their game two weeks before the originally scheduled date, and with a low price that's hard for most people to resist. On the other side of the line of scrimmage is Madden NFL 2005, the latest entry in the most popular sports franchise in the history of video games. So who deserves to pocket your cash? At the end of four grueling quarters, Madden NFL 2005 walks off the field as the winner, thanks to some of the best gameplay ever seen in a football game.

Now, before all of the ESPN fans out there start firing hate mail in my direction, let me make one thing clear: I love a good deal. Getting a great football game for under $20 is amazing, and I think the folks at Visual Concepts are doing all of the right things to get their franchise into people's homes. However, that being said, money isn't everything. If you only want to spend $20 on a football game, run out and grab ESPN NFL 2K5 right now. But if you want to play the best football game on the market, you owe it to yourself to spend a little extra cash to pick up Madden NFL 2005, the finest that has come down the pipe in years.

Simply put, the name of the game this year is defense, which is not surprising for a game that has the ferocious force of nature Ray Lewis as its cover boy. Sorry Mr. Lewis, I meant cover MAN. Electronic Arts has added some amazing new features to the defensive game, and none makes more of an impact (literally and figuratively) than the Hit Stick. Gone are the days when you'd simply dive at an opposing ball carrier in an attempt to take him down, or run into him to go for the wrap. The Hit Stick brings a level of realistic brutality to the game that will actually make you wince on occasion, just as you would when your star receiver gets creamed going for a high pass over the middle.

At first, the Hit Stick sounds like an easy thing to use. All you have to do is flick the right analog stick at your opponent at the right moment, and you'll be treated to a devastating hit, with a good chance that the ball will be knocked loose. However, there's really nothing easy about it, since timing is everything. There's a pretty tough risk/reward system built in to the Hit Stick, and if you miss your tackle, there's a chance that the back will be able to pick up some significant yardage. If you can time it right, though, you'll drive the runner into the ground with your shoulder, drop him with a forearm smash, or wrap him and toss him backwards.

You've also got to take the players involved into account. If you try to take down a big back with a little corner, you may simply bounce off him as he runs over you. In those situations, it pays to go for the traditional tackle, since you'll be more likely to at least slow him down until your fellow defenders can help out. The old practice-makes-perfect saying fits here, as well, since you really have to figure out the timing before you can use the Hit Stick successfully on most occasions. Don't give up if you can't do it the first few times, as this is one of the most important elements of the game. If you can knock that ball loose, there's a good chance to can turn (or keep) the tide in your favor. It also works well for taking out receivers going for passes in the middle of the field, as there's more of a chance a tipped pass will result in an interception.